Course information
Length
1 year full-time
Department
Art
Centre for Academic Language and Literacies
Course overview
This Pre-Masters programme is aimed at students who are considering undertaking an MA/MFA in Art or Curating but need a year to develop their practice as well as their written skills.
The programme has an English language option for students who do not have the academic English language requirements to enter directly onto a Goldsmiths MA/MFA programme. Successful completion will guarantee you entry onto one of the following Goldsmiths postgraduate programmes:
Develop your art practice along with your writing with an English language option
This course will help you develop a critical understanding of your own practice, and the artistic, academic, and political contexts in which that practice occurs.
You will develop your skills in English for academic purposes, and your academic writing for art. You will also attend lectures and seminars in critical studies, and undertake self-directed practice-based study, which will help integrate you into the studio-based postgraduate community in the Department of Art.
The Graduate Diploma in Art will also enable you to apply for other MA programmes within Goldsmiths, as well as MA programmes at other UK universities.
Contact the department
If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Richard Noble.
What you'll study
For 2020–21, we have made some changes to how the teaching and assessment of certain programmes are delivered. To check what changes affect this programme, please visit the Programme Changes page
Overview
You will take the following compulsory modules:
- Practice-based Study (45 credits)
- Critical Studies (45 credits)
- Academic Writing (15 credits)
- Language Training: Academic Listening & Speaking (15 credits) or Artists’ Research Methods (15 credits) for students who have already achieved level 7.0 overall in IELTS or equivalent qualification
You will have a personal tutor and will receive support in researching and considering the MA degree options for your future studies.
You are encouraged throughout the programme to work independently and in particular to use the resources available in the Goldsmiths Library.
Assessment
Continuous assessment includes regular seminar presentations and researched essays. There will also be written, listening and oral examinations.
Download the programme specification, for the 2019-20 intake. If you would like an earlier version of the programme specification, please contact the Quality Office.
Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.
Entry requirements
You should normally be expected to meet any particular entry requirements of the degree you intend to progress onto.
International qualifications
We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.
If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.0 with a 6.0 in writing and no element lower than 5.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for degree-level study.
Selection process
Admission to this programme is by submissions of electronic portfolio and interview. Occasionally, we'll make candidates an offer of a place on the basis of their application and qualifications alone.
Fees & funding
Annual tuition fees
These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2021/2022 academic year.
- International - full-time: £24130
Additional costs
In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.
There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.
How to apply
You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.
Before submitting your application you’ll need to have:
- Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments
- The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
- A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online. (See our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement).
- A digital portfolio
- If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)
You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.
When to apply
We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September.
We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place that is conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.
Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available.
